Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow. Julius Caesar In 100 BCE, a boy named Julius was born to a wealthy family in Rome. Although the boy came from a prominent line of Roman citizens, nobody could have imagined the heights of fame and fortune he would one day achieve. He would even turn his family's last name Caesar into a term for "all powerful ruler." When Julius Caesar was born, the mighty city of Rome was a republic. A republic is a democratic form of government. Rome had its share of problems, though. Farmers and many other citizens struggled in poverty. Many Romans were upset by their leaders' decisions. After serving in the military for many years, Caesar entered the political arena. He befriended two important leaders, Pompey and Crassus. Together, they helped to guide the Roman government. Later, however, Caesar was called away from Rome. He was made the leader of Gaul, a nearby region that was torn by war. Caesar raised an army that defeated many enemies and made Gaul safe. Caesar's successes in Gaul made him a powerful and popular celebrity. However, not everyone cheered for Julius Caesar. Pompey began to fear Caesar's growing power. Pompey protested Caesar's actions in Gaul and worked to limit his power. Caesar and Pompey began to compete and soon became enemies. In 49 BCE, Pompey ordered Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome. Caesar suspected that his former friend had set a trap for him. Instead of surrendering his army, Caesar led his troops toward Rome. When they came to the Rubicon River, Caesar knew he had a serious decision to make. Although the Rubicon was many miles from Rome, it marked the northern border of Italy. By taking his army across the river, Caesar would be showing that he intended to fight. Caesar chose to go ahead. Even today, people use the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" to describe a very serious action that cannot be undone. Indeed, Caesar's march into Italy and then Rome led to a civil war. Many people supported Caesar in the fight. After a long battle, Pompey attempted to flee, but Caesar pursued him through much of Southern Europe. At last, Caesar defeated Pompey and returned to Rome more famous and loved than ever. As the Greeks had viewed Zeus, the Romans now viewed Caesar. Strengthened by his successes, Caesar declared himself dictator, an all powerful leader. At that time, dictators were temporary leaders who took power during times of crisis and then stepped down. Caesar, however, then said he would become dictator for life. That was a shocking move. Caesar began to refer to himself as an emperor as he took complete, permanent control over the government. At this time, the Roman Republic ended and the Roman Empire began. Although many people supported Caesar, believers in democracy were shocked by his actions. Members of the Senate, leaders who had lost most of their power to Caesar, hatched a plot against him. In 44 BCE, while Caesar conducted his everyday business in the government chambers, a group of senators assassinated him. Caesar's sudden death did not restore democracy to Rome. Instead, political chaos followed his death. Many sides, including supporters of Caesar and supporters of the Senate, clashed in a terrible civil war. When the dust had settled, Rome was an empire, and its power would be held tightly by a series of emperors. To show their ultimate power, these emperors took on a new title: Caesar. Generated On February 22, 2017, 5:07 PM PST Page 1
Directions: Answer the following question(s) relating to the passage titled "Julius Caesar". 1 What conclusion can be drawn about the relationship between Julius Caesar's crossing the Rubicon to re enter Rome and his becoming dictator for life? Support your answer with evidence from the text. 2 What inference can be made about this text and how it would translate into other media, such as video? Support your answer with evidence from the text. 3 Read this sentence from the text. Members of the Senate, leaders who had lost most of their power to Caesar, hatched a plot against him. Why did the author use the phrase hatched a plot? A. to connect with prior events B. to show personal approval C. to suggest secretive behavior D. to indicate an unpopular idea 4 Select the three best sentences below that should be in a summary of this passage. A. In 100 BCE Julius Caesar was born. B. Julius Caesar was a powerful and successful military leader. C. Even today people use the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" to describe a very serious action that cannot be undone. D. Caesar and Pompeys dislike of each other led to a Civil War in which Caesar defeated Pompey. E. Julius Caesar was a god. F. Julius Caesar took permanent control over the Roman government until he was assassinated. 5 Read the following argument that a student made after reading "Julius Caesar." Most of the citizens of Rome disliked Julius Caesar. Write a response in which you agree or disagree with the argument based on what you have read. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. 6 Which sentence from the text best supports the inference that citizens of Rome once had political rights? A. When Julius Caesar was born, the mighty city of Rome was a republic. B. Farmers and many other citizens struggled in poverty. C. Instead, political chaos followed his death. D. To show their ultimate power, these emperors took on a new title: Caesar. 7 Read this sentence from the passage. As the Greeks had viewed Zeus, the Romans now viewed Caesar. The author most likely included the allusion in this sentence to. A. explain important characters in ancient mythology B. show differences between Greek and Roman dictators C. suggest that Caesar had Greek ancestry D. demonstrate the massive popularity of Caesar 8 Which sentence from the passage best supports the inference that Pompey was not popular among the Romans? A. Pompey began to fear Caesar's growing power. B. At last, Caesar defeated Pompey and returned to Rome more famous and loved than ever. C. In 49 BCE, Pompey ordered Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome. D. At this time, the Roman Republic ended and the Roman Empire began. Generated On February 22, 2017, 5:07 PM PST Page 2
Directions: Answer the following question(s) relating to the passage titled "Julius Caesar". 9 What textual evidence best explains why the people of Rome may not have been alarmed when Caesar first declared himself dictator? A. Rome had a republican form of government. B. Caesar had just ended a battle against Pompey. C. Rome had been ruled by temporary dictators before. D. Members of the Senate wanted to preserve democracy. 10 Read this sentence from the text. When the dust had settled, Rome was an empire, and its power would be held tightly by a series of emperors. What is the most likely meaning of the phrase "When the dust had settled"? A. in a recurring manner B. according to some perceptions C. to the satisfaction of many D. after a great commotion 11 What effect do the words complete, permanent, and ultimate from the text have on the reader? A. They show a final and irreversible situation. B. They suggest an action taken by many people. C. They suggest a significant rise in quality. D. They compare history to the present world. 12 Read this sentence from the text. Caesar's successes in Gaul made him a powerful and popular celebrity. The word celebrity most likely comes from a Latin root word meaning A. travel. B. fame. C. wealth. D. warfare. Generated On February 22, 2017, 5:07 PM PST Page 3
Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow. The Great Thinkers Introduction Long ago, the Greek people built a great civilization. They made discoveries in science, medicine, and the arts. They built beautiful buildings wrote exciting plays, and asked big questions about the meaning of life. Picture yourself living back in the days of ancient Greece. You are walking along a street and see a crowd gathering under the shade of an olive tree. You hear a voice asking questions. Each time a question is answered, the voice asks another question. Who are these people who asked such questions as "What is the right way to live?" and "What is beauty?"... Meet the great philosophers 1 of ancient Greece. Socrates (around 469 399 BC) Socrates was born in Athens, Greece. His father was a stone cutter. Historians 2 believe that Socrates may have followed his father's craft for some years. Little else is known of about his early life. Socrates spent much of his later years in the agora 3, teaching and talking and asking questions. More than anything else, he wanted to help people to think about the best ways to live their lives. That is why he asked so many questions. Although Socrates had outstanding conversational skills, he wrote nothing down. Most of what we know about Socrates came from his student, Plato. Socrates is remembered as the first of three great thinkers of ancient Greece. Plato (around.427-327 BC) Socrates had many students. His most famous student was Plato. Plato came from a wealthy family in Athens. In one of Plato's books, he described the talks Socrates had with his students. Plato carried on the work of Socrates by opening a school called the Academy. Today, the Academy is often described as the first European university. Like Socrates, Plato encouraged his students to ask questions about life and also about science and the world around them, such as "Where does the sun go when it sets?" Aristotle (around 384-322 BC) Aristotle was not from Athens like Socrates and Plato. He was born in northern Greece and entered Plato's Academy in Athens when he turned 17. Aristotle's father was a medical doctor and died when he was a young boy. Aristotle was interested in learning everything about the world, especially science. He is said to have written over 100 science textbooks and other writings. Historians tell us that Aristotle's lifelong love of writing down everything he knew was the beginning of the first encyclopedia. He opened his own school called the Lyceum. The Lyceum was sometimes called "the walking school." Teachers and students used to walk back and forth asking questions about the world. Footnotes: 1 philosophers: from the Greek word philosophos, meaning "lovers of wisdom" 2 historians: from the ancient Greek word historia meaning "knowledge"; a historian is a "writer of history" 3 agora: a Greek word meaning "marketplace or meeting place"; the center of community life in ancient Greece Generated On February 22, 2017, 5:07 PM PST Page 4
Directions: Answer the following question(s) relating to the passage titled "The Great Thinkers". 13 What are the most likely reasons the author placed the section about Socrates first in the text? Select two choices. A. Socrates asked more questions in his teaching. B. Socrates was the earliest of the great Greek thinkers. C. Socrates's influence led to Plato's and Aristotle's successes. D. Socrates was the best conversationalist of the great thinkers. E. Socrates was the only great thinker who held a different job before becoming a teacher. F. Socrates did not know how to write, which is different than the other thinkers presented in the text. 14 Which choice describes how the author of the passage introduces Plato? A. The author identifies the name of Plato's school. B. The author identifies the name of Plato's home city. C. The author describes the relationship between Plato and Socrates. D. The author describes the relationship between Plato and Aristotle. 15 Which statement from the passage best supports the idea that early philosophers have had a lasting impact on education? A. Socrates is remembered as the first of three great thinkers of ancient Greece. B. Like Socrates, Plato encouraged his students to ask questions about life and also about science and the world around them... C. Aristotle was interested in learning everything about the world, especially science. D. Historians tell us that Aristotle's lifelong love of writing down everything he knew was the beginning of the first encyclopedia. Stop: You have finished the assessment. Generated On February 22, 2017, 5:07 PM PST Page 5